Multi-level constrained communication system

Abstract

A constrained communication system may receive from a first user a plurality of constraints for a first constrained communication. A first constrained communication record is created based on the plurality of constraints. A first communication is generated based on the first constrained communication record. The first communication is provided to a second user. The second user provides response data and the underlying constrained communication is updated based on the response data.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for constrained communications, comprising:
 receiving, from a first user device associated with a first user, a request to establish a limited communications mode for communications with the first user; 
 modifying user settings for the first user based on the request to establish the limited communications mode; 
 receiving, from a second user device associated with a second user, a request to initiate communications with the first user; 
 determining, after receiving the request to initiate communications and based on the modified user settings, that the first user has established the limited communications mode; 
 accessing one or more authorized users to communicate with the first user; 
 determining whether the second user is an authorized user of the one or more authorized users; and 
 transmitting, for display on the second user device, a notification of the limited communications mode and a limited subset of predefined response selections, wherein transmitting, for display on the second user device, comprises:
 determining if user information of the second user device matches one or more affiliation criteria within a predefined group for a constrained data structure; and 
 in response to the determination that the user information of the second user device matches one or more of the affiliation criteria within the predefined group for the constrained data structure, assigning the user device to the constrained data structure that matches the predefined group. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein modifying user settings for the first user further comprises:
 accessing a user list from a communication restraints database, wherein the user list includes a limited subset of authorized users; 
 receiving, from the first user device associated with the first user, a request to change the limited subset of authorized users; and 
 updating the limited subset of authorized users based on the request to change the limited subset of authorized users, wherein the determination of whether the second user is an authorized user is based on the limited subset of authorized users. 
 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein a plurality of user ranks are associated with one or more of a limited subset of authorized users, and wherein the determination of whether the second user is an authorized user is based on a user rank for the second user. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 3 , wherein the user rank for the second user is based on a setting of the second user. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 4 , wherein the user rank for the second user is modifiable by the first user. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 3 , wherein modifying user settings for the first user further comprises modifying one or more authorized user ranks of the plurality of user ranks. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving, from the second user device associated with the second user, a subject for the request to initiate communications with the first user; 
 determining whether the subject is one of a limited subset of authorized subjects that may be provided to the first user during the limited communications mode; and 
 based on determining that the subject is not one of the limited subset of authorized subjects, transmitting, for display on the second user device, a second constrained communication based on a constrained data structure, wherein the second constrained communication comprises a notification of the limited communications mode and a second limited subset of predefined response selections. 
 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 7 , wherein modifying user settings for the first user further comprises:
 accessing a subject list from a communication restraints database, wherein the subject list includes the limited subset of authorized subjects; and 
 receiving, from the first user device associated with the first user, a request to change the limited subset of authorized subjects. 
 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 8 , wherein the request to change the limited subset of authorized subjects comprises modifying one or more subject ranks associated with a plurality of subjects. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 1 , wherein receiving, from the first user device associated with a first user, the request to establish the limited communications mode for communications with the first user further comprises:
 receiving, from the first user device associated with the first user, a selection of the limited communications mode; 
 providing, to a first user interface of the first user device, one or more options for the limited communications mode; and 
 receiving, from the first user device, one or more selections of the one or more options. 
 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 10 , wherein the first user interface comprises a display of the first user device. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 10 , wherein the first user interface comprises an audio interface of the first user device. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the notification of the limited communications mode comprises a notification of a duration of the limited communications mode. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the limited subset of predefined response selections comprises a binary set of selections, a single selection set of selections, a multiple-selection set of selections, a ranked set of selections, or a limited number of time and date selection set of selections. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the affiliation criteria comprises at least one of projects, groups, or teams. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving user information from the second user device during a system configuration; and 
 generating the first constrained communication based on the user information. 
 
     
     
       17. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions stored thereon, which when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:
 receiving, from a first user device associated with a first user, a request to establish a limited communications mode for communications with the first user; 
 modifying user settings for the first user based on the request to establish the limited communications mode; 
 receiving, from a second user device associated with a second user, a request to initiate communications with the first user; 
 determining, after receiving the request to initiate communications and based on the modified user settings, that the first user has established the limited communications mode; 
 accessing one or more authorized users to communicate with the first user; 
 determining whether the second user is an authorized user of the one or more authorized users; and 
 transmitting, for display on the second user device, a notification of the limited communications mode and a limited subset of predefined response selections, wherein transmitting, for display on the second user device, comprises:
 determining if user information of the second user device matches one or more affiliation criteria within a predefined group for a constrained data structure; and 
 in response to the determination that the user information of the second user device matches one or more of the affiliation criteria within the predefined group for the constrained data structure, assigning the user device to the constrained data structure that matches the predefined group. 
 
 
     
     
       18. A system for facilitating the exchange of constrained communications, the system comprising:
 at least one memory having instructions stored thereon; 
 a constrained communication database having a plurality of constrained communication records stored thereon, wherein each constrained communication record includes a plurality of identifiers, and wherein one or more of the plurality of identifiers are based on a plurality of constraints; 
 a communication interface; and 
 at least one processor coupled to the memory, the processor configured to execute the instructions to:
 receive, from a first user device associated with a first user, a request to establish a limited communications mode for communications with the first user; 
 modify user settings for the first user based on the request to establish the limited communications mode; 
 receive, from a second user device associated with a second user, a request to initiate communications with the first user; 
 determine, after receiving the request to initiate communications and based on the modified user settings, that the first user has established the limited communications mode; 
 access one or more authorized users to communicate with the first user; 
 determine whether the second user is an authorized user of the one or more authorized users; 
 transmit, for display on the second user device, a notification of the limited communications mode and a limited subset of predefined response selections, wherein to transmit, for display on the second user device, the processor is configured to execute instructions to:
 determine if user information of the second user device matches one or more affiliation criteria within a predefined group for a constrained data structure; and 
 in response to the determination that the user information of the second user device matches one or more of the affiliation criteria within the predefined group for the constrained data structure, assign the user device to the constrained data structure that matches the predefined group.